Cornus plant named ‘SMNCSBD’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Cornus  plant named ‘SMNCSBD’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading and sprawling plant habit; vigorous growth habit; medium green-colored leaves; numerous single-type flowers that are white in color; white to light yellow green-colored fruits; and good garden performance.

Botanical classification: Cornus stolonifera.

Cultivar designation: ‘SMNCSBD’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Cornus plant, botanically known as Cornus stolonifera and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘SMNCSBD’.

The new Cornus plant originated from an open-pollination in 2011 of Cornus stolonifera ‘Flaviramea’, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with an unknown selection of Cornus stolonifera, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Cornus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2016 as a single plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich.

Asexual reproduction of the new Cornus plant by softwood stem cuttings in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich. since 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Cornus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Cornus have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SMNCSBD’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SMNCSBD’ as a new and distinct Cornus plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and sprawling plant         habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Medium green-colored leaves.     -   4. Numerous single-type flowers that are white in color.     -   5. White to light yellow green-colored fruits.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Cornus differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Flaviramea’, in growth habit as plants of the new Cornus are more compact than plants of ‘Flaviramea’.

Plants of the new Cornus can be compared to plants of Cornus baileyii ‘Farrow’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,523. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Cornus differ primarily from plants of ‘Farrow’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Cornus are more vigorous than plants of         ‘Farrow’.     -   2. Plants of the new Cornus have yellow green-colored stems         whereas plants of ‘Farrow’ have red-colored stems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Cornus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Cornus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 3) is a side perspective view of a typical plant grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 of 3) is a close-up view of typical flowers of a plant of ‘SMNCSBD’. The photograph on the third sheet (FIG. 3 of 3) is a close-up view of typical fruits of a plant of ‘SMNCSBD’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and the following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in five-gallon containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Cornus production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. Plants were two years old when the photographs and description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Cornus stolonifera ‘SMNCSBD’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Cornus stolonifera ‘Flaviramea’,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Cornus             stolonifera, not patented. -   Propagation information:     -   -   Type.—By softwood stem cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one month at             temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             months at temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 27° C.         -   Root description.—Fine to medium in thickness; typically             white to brown in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading             and sprawling perennial shrub; vigorous growth habit; rapid             growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 50 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 86 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching,             about 50. Aspect: Erect to about 15° to 60° from vertical.             Length: About 48 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Internode length:             About 8 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 143B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 10 cm.         -   Width.—About 5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Slightly rough, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137B; venation, close to N144B. Developing and             fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 148B;             venation, close to 145C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:             Pubescent; slightly rough. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower appearance and arrangement.—Upright star-shaped             rotate flowers arranged in corymbs with about 50 flowers per             inflorescence; flowers face mostly upright.         -   Natural flowering season and flower longevity.—Plants flower             during the spring in Michigan; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Flower length.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Shape: Ovate to oblong. Color: Close to 145A, becoming             closer to 155D with development.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Four in a single whorl.             Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D. Fully opened, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 155D.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement and shape: Four sepals fused into a             urceolate-shaped calyx. Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to N144D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:             Upright to about 30° from vertical. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: Close to 143C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:             Upright to about 35° from vertical. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: Close to 143D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower: About             four. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to             NN155C. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate,             lobed. Anther color: Close to 199C. Pollen amount: None             observed. Gynoecium: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 2 mm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color:             Close to 145C. Stigma shape: Globose. Stigma color: Close to             145C.         -   Fruits.—Quantity: About 100 fruits develop per lateral             branch. Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape:             Spherical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             between NN155B and 145D. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Cornus have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Cornus plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Cornus have been observed to     have good garden performance and to be tolerant to wind, rain,     drought, high temperatures about 36° C. and low temperatures about     −32° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Cornus plant named ‘SMNCSBD’ as illustrated and described. 